It’s noticeable in that characters will bear the marks of a beating, or mention a particular event, but the core events will still happen whatever you do. Many of the scenes can be manipulated in an vastly impressive number of different ways -the slightest variation in your decisions can cause wildly different outcomes- but their affect on the story as a whole is usually a light ripple. The story can be stretched or twisted, but it will always follow its central line. Some may have found Cage’s ‘rubber band theory’ a little ostentatious, but it’s a very apt analogy. You shouldn’t expect a vast branching storyline, as that was never the goal. It’s tricky, and matches the characters discomfort with your own.Ī major part of the connection is the idea that the story does indeed morph around you and what happens to your characters. When the character’s are in awkward situations, the game asks you to press several buttons at the same time, meaning to have to fumble at the controller with a spare finger. If say, Madison and Ethan are performing a similar action, it will take a little more effort on Madison’s part. There is plenty of attention to detail here too, some actions require you to tap a certain button until the meter fills up. It affords a satisfying, kinetic dynamism to your interaction, even if –at base level- these are awkwardly close to the traditional interpretation of the much-maligned QTE. Rather than just stamping the prompt across the screen, they whirl and interact with the scene, requiring you to keep a close eye on what’s happening. The way the button prompts are mixed in with the action also impresses. Action scenes are brilliantly choreographed too, brimming with tension and excitement. Even its peripheries are put to good use, a haunting music cue or well-timed controller rumble. Beautiful light and shadow spill and converge across the scene, gently leading you to areas of importance. Every location is thickly laced with a moody, brooding atmosphere. While he takes clear inspiration from Hollywood directors like Lynch, De Palma and Hitchcock, his eye for an evocative shot is superb. Much of this is down to David Cage’s enviable skill as a director.